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* Before Gov. Rauner haplessly diverted himself to the topics of Donald Trump and Speaker Madigan yesterday, he announced some good news about DCFS. From a press release…
Governor Bruce Rauner today discussed the transformations at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and how it’s better serving the needs of Illinois children.
“When I took office, DCFS was in shambles from a lack of leadership and direction,” Governor Rauner said. “Today, under the direction of Director George Sheldon, the agency has made an impressive transformation to ensure we are protecting our state’s most vulnerable children.”
Within the last year, DCFS has reduced the number of children in shelter care by 50 percent and instituted a new directive to ensure no child under the age of six spends the night in a shelter. DCFS has also reduced the use of deep-end residential treatment and partnered with the Cook County Sheriff’s Department to create the Child Recovery Unit.
In addition, DCFS increased its federal reimbursement for services provided to youth aged 18-21 by $20 million for FY16, and the state is expected to receive an additional $16 million in subsequent fiscal years by fixing a paperwork issue.
DCFS is also part of the state’s IT transformation by implementing the 360 Initiative. It is a platform that brings multiple databases together to ensure caseworkers have the whole picture of a family’s situation more quickly and efficiently.
“In the last year, we’ve accomplished a lot to improve Illinois’ child welfare system. These initiatives are just a starting point; we must also change the way we think about our youth in care,” DCFS Director Sheldon said. “DCFS is supporting new legislation to provide children in foster care more normalcy and to recognize the strong bond a child and foster parent may develop. We also must recognize the hard-working women and men at DCFS who are striving every day to restore families, and give children hope for their future and set them on a path for better lives.”
The bills supported by DCFS are SB 2371/HB 5551 which expand the definition of “fictive kin” to include foster parents, and SB 3041/HB 5665 which enable foster parents and caregivers to act as “prudent parents” and make decisions to give children a more normal life.
These transformations are part of the vision Governor Rauner laid out in his State of the State Address. The purpose is to improve how we provide health and human services in Illinois to produce better outcomes for our most vulnerable residents.
Emphasis added.
* With that in mind, here’s the response from Sen. Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago), DCFS’ most active legislative critic. She offers both praise and a couple of important historical reminders…
“In the last year, DCFS has indeed transformed and worked diligently to address the mounting issues uncovered by state hearings and news reports. And while the agency is better today than it was a year ago, let’s not forget how the governor sought to dismantle vital services in his budget last year.
“Governor Rauner called for a 12.5 percent reduction in spending for wards of the state and eliminating support for some 2,400 wards ages 18 to 21 years old, ignoring pleas from the community and the wards themselves to keep a roof over their heads and keep them safe.
“I called on the governor to take action after he entered office, just as I have called on previous governors to step up to the plate for our state’s children.
“Today, I am glad the agency is getting recognition for its improvements. Director George Sheldon and the DCFS advisory board have made great strides in improving the agency by listening to human service advocates and concerned residents. But, the Rauner administration needs to stop trying to take credit for programs that they considered nonessential and repeatedly tried to zero out of the budget.”
Not to mention that he vetoed the DCFS budget last year. But emphasis was added to point out that maybe the governor learned something on this topic after last year’s budget fight. Either way, it’s a good thing that it’s now part of the program.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 3:01 pm
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I bet when he saw some of his business acquisitions, he took credit for what they had in place before disassembling them, selling off valuable assets, and dumping them into bankruptcy.
If he bought it, all the good stuff is his to sell, and all the bad stuff is sold out from survivors.
The Rauner way.
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 3:07 pm
Rauner seems to “parent” by the principle that once you turn 18 you are an adult and on your own. He fails to understand, intentionally or not, that you do not govern a state on K-12 education funding alone. Regardless of how he wants the State of Illinois to “grow up”, his “tough love” is damaging and abusive. What he considers important will be reflected in the budget(s) he submits. It will be up to those of Senator Hunter’s ilk, as well as the People of Illinois who care as well, to hold him to a higher accountability.
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 3:11 pm
-But, the Rauner administration needs to stop trying to take credit for programs that they considered nonessential and repeatedly tried to zero out of the budget.”-
Perfidy right there. Perfidy, perfidy, perfidy. Saying one thing and doing another IS PERFIDY!
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 3:12 pm
“DCFS increased its federal reimbursement for services provided to youth aged 18-21 by $20 million”
or perhaps stated “The Feds did not fine DCFS $20 million this year as they did last because DCFS turned in the paperwork correctly.”
Comment by Rufus Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 3:19 pm
Last year’s introduced budget included a ton of cuts that people hated and was around $3 billion out of balance.
This year’s budget includes far fewer cuts for people to criticize and is $6 billion out of balance.
Governor “I’ll take the arrows” certainly learned some lesson. Not necessarily the lesson that people who are in favor of fiscal stability would have liked, but it’s a lesson nonetheless.
Comment by Juice Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 3:26 pm
Well Rich you might recall last session Patti Bellock read a statement from Sheldon on the floor of the House during the debate on the override of a vetoed bill that would have restored DCFS services for 18 to 21 year. In that letter Sheldon said he supported services for 18 to 21 year olds only once DCFS had addressed many of its problems. Well apparently Governor Rauner believes DCFS has, so where is the Republican bill to restore those services?
Comment by Rod Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 3:30 pm
Here’s the problem with being constantly perfidious, people no longer trust anything you say. How do we know the 50% reduction wasn’t due to kids getting kicked out of the program or being reduced by devious means? How do we know. We are supposed to just trust that the numbers are correct? Hey look, I’ve spent time having drinks with some of the people who put those numbers together. That’s why I’m not trusting numbers. (not those particular numbers, but stats produced by several other agencies). As far as the IT stuff goes, let’s see how the new system works first. I’m curious now. I have a union brother over at DCFS. I’m going to ask him how it’s going over there.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 3:34 pm
“…maybe the governor learned something on this topic after last year’s budget fight.”
One would hope he has learned something, but it is doubtful.
Comment by Mama Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 3:39 pm
We had a meeting today. Something we worked on very specific to our agency. It is going to be “taken” by a new agency. It’s good we can share resources. It’s not good if it’s stolen, put lipstick on it and then claimed by someone else while we have to apply for our jobs and fear layoffs.
Comment by present Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 3:42 pm
I hope Rauner takes credit for the increase in incarceration of the mentally ill after the elimination of their needed social programs whose funding he vetoed. He’s earned it.
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 3:45 pm
== Did Rauner learn an important lesson? ==
More likely, it reinforced his view that better outcome and less waste in welfare systems can result from starter mismanagement.
If he DID take that lesson to heart and start to govern along those lines, he would finally be doing what a lot of voters hoped he would do.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 3:59 pm
One should inquire if this is really additional revenue for Federal claiming since last year’s budget failed to even list the Title IV-E claiming(and loss of $) in the elimination of that population. I mean anything over $0 can be considered additional. Sheldon knows a lot about the Title IV-E claiming since he just came from ACF.
I realize it may seem like a great idea that younger children did not stay in the shelter waiting for placement. However, what this means to me is that it forced DCP to place children in the only homes they could find that could pass placement clearance(doesn’t mean it’s a good or safe placement) or else delayed taking custody and/or kept kids in private arrangements until a suitable placement was found.
I also know that workers were told to find homes or else they would be forced to keep the child at the office all night and not be able to go home until they located a placement. I heard this from multiple workers in multiple offices in Cook.
The number of placement changes in the first 6 months would be a better indicator if this move actually improved outcomes. Placement stability in the very beginning of a case improves overall outcomes for children across all domains.
Sorry to rain on the parade.
Comment by carbaby Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 4:02 pm
I am a Rupublican and used to be proud off it. This governor is a joke a bad joke. I really doubt he has learned anything as he already knows everything; just ask him. He does nothing then takes credit when something gets done in spite of his efforts He is moniacal and his quest to catch the the great white whale of his turn around agenda will sink us all then he can move to Florida where his wife resides and help his kid get a job with a Walter Payton Prep degree he toss her out when she hit 18? Hypocrite
Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 4:11 pm
All you Rauner haters. Can you admit he did something right? Director Sheldon (a previous member of Obamas cab) was appointed by Rauner and steering the Department in a much better direction then it previously was. Talk about partisan??? You Dems can’t even give the man half of a pat on the back for something you’d normally be applauding?
Comment by JustRight Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 4:34 pm
Improving services at DHS and maximizing federal reimbursements are the things people hoped for in voting for Rauner. More, please.
>These transformations are part of the vision Governor Rauner laid out in his State of the State Address. The purpose is to improve how we provide health and human services in Illinois to produce better outcomes for our most vulnerable residents.
These are also things people people hoped for in voting for Rauner. Please give us that and quit destroying the human services system.
>CFS has reduced the number of children in shelter care by 50 percent
Honeybear, I confess I had the very cynical thought when I read this was that it may be due to there being less shelter care for the homeless available now. The federal reimbursement increase seems credible to me, and I celebrate that.
Comment by Earnest Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 4:42 pm
reduced kids in shelter care…. by sending them where? back to abusive homes? Not sure this is a positive without more info, it reads like we reduced prison expenses by relasing violent offenders since they are the most costly to incarcerate…. yes if you stop protectng kids it gets cheaper and the work load goes down….
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 4:43 pm
- JustRight -
Ok.
You admit the 9,316 Rauner has done wrong…. lol…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 4:56 pm
- JustRight -
Rauner isn’t a victim, he’s a governor.
To the Post,
When I see a three in a row pattern, I’d be a “yes”.
I hope it’s a pattern. Time will tell(?)
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 5:03 pm
The additional $36 million in fed reimbursement makes him governor 1.401%.
Comment by PENSIONS ARE OFF LIMITS Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 5:18 pm
- RNUG @ 3:59 pm
“starter mismanagement” should have been “smarter management” … the auto-correct mangled that one … or maybe not?
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 5:20 pm
The courts have more to do with the DCFS success than the Rauner administration. The services being provided are court ordered as is the funding. If it were up to the governor, there’d be no funding for DCFS. That’s what a total veto does.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 5:24 pm
This is not all good. 50% less children in shelter care? Are they are in a foster home in Winnetka? No child under 6 in a shelter? I bet they are all in Lincolnshire. No support for 18-21 yr old wards? Bridgeview?
Comment by PENSIONS ARE OFF LIMITS Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 5:30 pm
What Flaherty said…
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 5:32 pm
–The courts have more to do with the DCFS success than the Rauner administration. The services being provided are court ordered as is the funding. If it were up to the governor, there’d be no funding for DCFS. That’s what a total veto does.–
Thank goodness for the courts. What a sad thing to say.
Can you imagine what the governor might be taking “credit” for today if the courts had not stepped in and forced him to do his job?
A total veto of DCFS — the recklessness and irresponsibility is breathtaking.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 7:27 pm
Rainer hasn’t learned any lesson. He’s spending his time now trying to spin his primary losses. He and his donors put millions into the primaries for Dunkin and against McCann and just proved they can’t even win with millions at their disposal. It’s still “not Rauner’s fault.” We don’t have a governor we have a big baby who wants his way. He won’t win until he gets some operatives who understand both politics and government. Mr. Governor, if you want to play with the big boys start acting like one.
Comment by nurse maid Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 7:35 pm
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 5:32 pm:
What Flaherty said
This is a piece offering to the courts. Bridges have been burned with both them and the General Assembly. I guess you have to start somewhere.
Comment by PENSIONS ARE OFF LIMITS Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 8:31 pm
Hmmmm, take that gossip and innuendo somewhere else. It’s not welcome here. I’m sure the Trib comment section would love to have you aboard.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 1:46 am
@ carbaby- always appreciate your insight…
Comment by anonymous Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 7:21 am